


Hot Chocolate and Blueberry Muffins

by dalia (Dalia)



Category: Sky High (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Gen, Layla POV, Pre-Relationship, and i guess they're in college as well, no superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:28:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28236180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dalia/pseuds/dalia
Relationships: Gwen Grayson/Will Stronghold, Warren Peace/Layla Williams, Will Stronghold & Layla Williams
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	Hot Chocolate and Blueberry Muffins

**Author's Note:**

  * For [neosaiyanangel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/neosaiyanangel/gifts).



Layla’s first entry into Commander's Coffee was… underwhelming, to say the least. She’d been expecting a bustling shop and was instead met with an unfriendly-looking barista and a brooding customer in a back corner. Still, she was here to order a drink and maybe get a pastry, so she approached the counter. 

“What can I get you?” the barista, whose nametag read ‘Gwen,’ asked in a bored voice. 

“Um, I’d like a hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin,” Layla replied. “Sorry to ask, but do you know if someone named Will works here?” 

“Yeah, I picked up his shift today so he could hang out with his friends or something,” ‘Gwen’ replied. 

Blinking back tears she hadn’t expected to feel pricking at the back of her eyes, Layla nodded. “Alright then, well tell him if you see him that Layla stopped by.” 

***

The next day, Will had somehow convinced her to give Commander's Coffee a second try, despite her interaction with Gwen the day before. It seemed that no matter what he did, Layla would always listen to what Will said - even if she didn’t want to. This was convenient for Will, and less convenient for Layla, who once again found herself in the coffee shop. 

“Hi, what can I get for you?” asked the girl behind the counter, whose name identified her as ‘Becky.’ 

“I’d like a hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin,” Layla replied, just like the day before. 

The girl nodded. “That’ll be $5.68.” 

Handing over the money, Layla went to wait for her order. In the same corner as last time sat the same brooding man. This time, at least he had a book and a coffee cup in front of him. Nevertheless, he seemed out of place in the sunny coffee shop. 

Layla glanced over at him curiously, when suddenly his eyes jumped up to meet hers. Startled, she looked away and kicked herself internally. _What was she thinking? She didn’t even know the guy._

Just then, her order was ready. Seeing the drink being supplied, Layla thanked the barista and turned to find her own table. 

***

Looking up not ten minutes later, she saw the broody guy standing at her table nervously. 

“Um, hi,” she said. “Can I help you with something?” 

He cleared his throat before speaking. “It seems like you’re in here looking for someone. Who is it?” 

“Oh, I’m looking for my friend Will. He always tells me his shifts but then he’s never here when he says he’ll be. I guess he’s just forgetful like that.” 

The man grumbled under his breath something that sounded like, “Of course he’s never here when he says he’ll be, he’s a Stronghold.” When Layla looked at him with some confusion he said, “Oh, and my name’s Warren. Warren Peace.” 

***

The weeks passed, and Layla somehow managed to always ‘just miss’ Will at Commander's Coffee. She was pretty sure he wasn’t avoiding her, but it still frustrated her that he was never where he said he’d be. 

However, it wasn’t for naught. Gwen was always just as cold to her as she’d been on day one, but Warren Peace slowly came out of his shell. Maybe some part of Layla wanted word to get back to Will that she _did_ have other friends, and so he could stuff it what with thinking he was the only important person in her life. 

That is, until the day Will and Gwen walked in together, holding hands. 

Layla suppressed her fuming, but only just. Without looking at Will, she got up and moved to Warren’s table. “Hey Warren! How’s it going? How’s the dog?” 

Warren looked confused. “I don’t… have a dog?” he replied. 

Leaning across the table to whisper, Layla said, “I know, silly, but Will doesn’t. And seeing how draped over Gwen he is… well, I guess I just hope that if he looks over here, then he’ll realize I don’t want to keep waiting for him.”

Warren crinkled his brow in thought. “So, this whole thing, where you come and bother me while I try to sit alone, it’s all to get at Stronghold, is that it?” 

Layla paused to think for a moment. “Yeah, pretty much!” she said sunnily. 

A dangerous smile grew over Warren’s face. “Then I’m in.” 

***

Will and Gwen continued to be increasingly lovey-dovey to each other, and each time it made Layla want to throttle the other girl a little more. But, like the pacifist she was, she waited patiently for her moment to come. 

One day, Will and Gwen walked by looking particularly sickening, and Layla quickly grabbed Warren’s hand. “What’s up cutie?” she asked in the most simpering voice she could muster. 

Looking like he’d swallowed a nail, Warren ground out, “Not much,” and went back to his coffee. The minute Will and Gwen were out of eye and earshot, he gave her hand a rough squeeze and let it go. “Don’t call me cute.” 

***

One would think that Will and Gwen would be less devoted to each other as the days and weeks passed, but that would be wrong. If anything, they seemed to grow more attached. Will started to look drawn around the edges the more time he spent with Gwen, and Layla started to worry about him. When she voiced her concerns to Warren, he agreed but seemed uninterested in helping. 

“So what? He’s a Stronghold, he can handle it. It’s a little ironic that this would be the thing to break him, though. I honestly thought he was tougher than that.” 

Layla frowned. “I know, but even at his most stressed Will hasn’t been this bad. I’m worried about him, Warren.” 

Warren sighed. “Layl, you know we’re just doing this to get at Stronghold, but you don’t need to stress over him like this all the time. It makes me worry about you.” 

Touched by the sentiment, Layla smiled slightly. “I have an idea.” 

***

Soon Layla’s plan was set in motion. She’d ‘suggest’ to Will that he host a party, and then she, Warren, and all their other friends would show up. Just like that, she’d ‘happen’ to mention that she was worried about how much time Will was spending with Gwen and how drawn he seemed whenever he was with the other barista. Will would realize she was right, and break things off with Gwen. 

It was foolproof. 

The only problem, then, was when the woman herself arrived on the doorstep. 

“Hi! I remember you. It’s Layla, isn’t it?” she asked in a falsely kind voice. 

Taken aback, Layla blinked. “It’s alright, thanks for asking. Would you, um, would you like to come inside?” 

Smiling like a cat toying with a mouse, Gwen obliged. Will spotted her from across the room, and began waving wildly. “Gwen, over here!” he called. Sighing at his antics, Gwen and Layla headed over to meet him. 

“I keep telling Gwen that she needs to meet my friends, but she never believes me,” Will said as they made their way over. 

“Well, I didn’t know that Layla was such a good friend of yours,” Gwen replied. “Maybe we should all get to know each other a little better. Say, a double date?” 

Layla blinked before responding. “Sure, that sounds lovely. Us three and Warren, then?” 

“Wait, you and Warren are a thing now?” Will asked incredulously. 

“Yeah, it’s funny what you miss when you’re not paying attention,” Layla ribbed him. “See you guys then!” 

Gwen delivered to Will, Layla headed off to find Warren. 

When she did find him, he had some sage advice. “Even if you and Gwen don’t get along, you’ll always be friends with Will. And when his head is too far up his ass to realize that you’re here, I’ll be here to remind you that you matter.” Handing her a cup and muffin that were suspiciously like her regular order, he said, “Wanna get out of here?” 

Layla smiled and accepted the food, nodding and linking her arm through Warren’s. He didn’t even pull away. 


End file.
